Impromptu Games

My scenario is still not ready and as I'm working today there is a very little chance to get it finished. I couldn't decide about the map and then kept changing ideas about OOB...
Pat - is it possible to port your scenario to another map that is not DLC or Gettysburg?

I have a very simple PvP set on the Wavre map.

I have a very simple PvP set on the Wavre map.

we need DLC free scenario

I have a 3v3 player v player on spanish antietam map. I am happy to post it today. Not sure if I will be able to play tho.

Have others on random maps in works but not ready

is it from "Kevin's folder"?
I'd be happy to take on Kevin... I haven't been CinC in PvP for a while now...

I can play today at the usual time, 14:00 EST, 19:00 BST.
We can always play one from the Pat Commands folder if need be.

I am running a class session until 1400. So if you want me to send the Scenario files before then I will. Otherwise we can wait til Friday. I will not be able to play today in any event

The fight on Tuesday was very fun! Sorry for leaving the discord server without any notification ^^, my connection had problem and according to Ehey stream, my voice is barely audible. I need to solve that.

It was a good training as division commander, and situation was pretty clear due to the visibility on the map. I guess we could have encircled them from the North if we have pushed east earlier. When we attacked the hill, ennemies just rout very quickly to the village.

It is also a pity that I wasn't aware of the gap south of Donkey cods, I had a fresh brigade to fill it

Perfect timing for my amnesia for this scenario, it looked familiar but I couldn't remember a thing about how it had played out before.
Vince, both you and Sean did well, although my criticism would go on Sean's cutting in front of you (taking your frontage) while leaving gap on his right... only thanks to Digby survival skills we won this scenario.

It is also a pity that I wasn't aware of the gap south of Donkey cods, I had a fresh brigade to fill it

no, you are not supposed to split your division like that. It would be reasonable if you were not fighting for the objective and had free brigade to commit in more important direction.

I couldn't stay in the centre to coordinate your moves as I had to answer to cries for help from Digby... So Kevin's and my brigades came just in time to neutralise 3-4 regiments of British Cav on Digby's right... and later on also on Digby's left. I wondered where the hell was Grog , his brigade was guarding access to the city, but ideally he'd push on squares after the cavalry was defeated... I tried to make Phil move.. but we know how effective that is...

The battle from my point of view did feel like it was March 1918 and I was facing the German offensive. I was slowly being ground down bit by bit but luckily for us the clock ran out before my battalions did. It was an extremely exciting game though and a real challenge of my survival skills. I enjoyed it a lot and Miko, Kevin and Grog were all heroes who sent troops to my aid. I was very fortunate to have a reverse slope position just the exact size and location I needed it in order to last as long as I did. Even though 2 of my cav regts were the Garde Chasseurs a Cheval and did absolutely incredible work, having 4 cav regts against what I think was about 13 or 15, 11 of those being heavies, was never going to end well. The enemy artillery was very well sited and simply blasted my two batteries off the top of the hill in about an hour. Since I wasn't giving them anything else to shoot at, my guns got clobbered. I shifted the remnants of both batteries (about 7 guns) way back behind Grog's position and from there they still kept hitting anything that came over the hill.

I think I was saved by the ground, nothing else.

I lost 7 battalions, 4 cav regts and half of both batteries in all, though it felt like more.

Actually Vince you're quiet because I turned you down in discord.  There were some background noises and sometimes the game coming through your microphone.  I tried to remember to turn you up during the restarts and after the game but I keep forgetting.  If you go into the settings on Discord and set yourself to a Push To Talk situation then the background sounds won't activate your mic.

I have to credit Vince with 95% of taking the eastern objective.  All I did was keep their cavalry busy, I couldn't get my infantry over in time, they were too weighed down with the loot from  Remotinos. All in all a pretty relaxing day for the middle guard. Not sure they even fired a shot.

Great game, chaps!
An amazing defence from Martin and massive credit to Miko who responded to the crisis admirably.

I could see Martin's Peril unfolding quite early on and concluded that my Division would have to pull back to the northern outskirts of Alagon before sending some forces east to help. I pulled cav back to a halfway point where Phil had deployed and I also set up my guns there, as I wanted to repulse some Cavalry first. Miko sent me a message to help out Martin at about the time that Martin called for help. I replied to Martin's message saying that I am sending Inf and Cav over. As I was about to write to Miko I noticed that Phil was exposed. too far forward and was taking casualties from artillery and inf. I sent messages to have him pull back but by now he'd got his 'dander up' and I realised he'd got his own personal war going on and he was 'not for turning'. Perhaps he was protecting my guns or thought this was the line I had intended? I think Phil's battle, though, did draw a decent amount of attention at a crucial phase of the battle.

Sorry Miko and Martin that it took me so long to get over. I send an inf brigade over to bolster Martins defences but it was only 4 battns and one had stayed back to guard my guns. Later, this brigade 'accidentally' returned to my lines (much to the dismay of Martin!), which I think was due to me accidentally pressing a formation button whilst I was selected, which also sent my Dragoon brigade way west.

Lots of fun

I've got my new scenario ready. The only thing missing is Briefing for Russians (the map is ready). If I don't have the time to complete it before tonight's game, I can just talk to Russian side... it's quite simple - just can't make up a story. The Scenario requires 8 players and can be played with 10 or more (as there are 10 divisional commands). I'd put absolute minimum to be 6. But in that case I hope there would be other scenarios available.

I plan to be there today

Miko your scenario sounds great

As backup, I have a pair of 6 player vs AI scenarios, one on Quatre Bras and another on a Poland random map. And a 3v3 Fr vs Aus on Sp Antietam map.

That's great, Pat - we've got all scenarios covered
I even got proper royalty figures for Kevin on both sides... Prince Poniatowski and Grand Duke Konstantin

I can play today at the usual time, 14:00 EST, 19:00 BST.
A Grand Duke is better than a Prince.

I'll be a bit late...

A magnificent game last night friends, I'm incredibly glad to be back into the game again. Vive l'Empereur

Great to have you back Max.. as you can see, the more players the more fun and enables us to create more interesting scenarios.
Also, Ehey does great job with streaming the game, so we can watch it from his perspective and opposite side planning. I had to pause for laughing when I heard Kevin saying "knowing Pat, he'd send division along the Eastern edge of the map, then Southern and attack the objective from the south" - it's really not far from what was Pat's cunning plan.

https://mixer.com/DumpTruckGames?vod=OUoreQTaDk6fKSY7SvD-cw

There was also a moment when Russian side discussed if they can plan together or each corps separately - well... initially my idea was to not allow Russians pre-planning for both corps together... so you'd have to see OOB, see position on the map, split into groups and discuss the plan separately... I thought that this could be too hard depending on the players... Russians ended up with quite strong set up of players but I couldn't foresee that. Also I think Russians would need some forces top up in the northern Corps - maybe extra brigade for infantry. I'm glad it stayed like this because battle was really close - and as a scenario creator that's my aim to do it in sophisticated way rather than ultra balancing forces, down to quality/quantity of each arm and setting objective in the middle of the map. On French side we had really no much choice... as only me, Pat and Phil had experience with playing cavalry... Phil didn't want it so I had to take the role... (I was hoping I'll get small infantry division in this scenario).

My bad is not emphasising to Russian side that French had no clue where the Russians are... having this psychological advantage could play a major role - as in replay viewer I sow Digby staying quite long north... having Ehay as Cavalry commander there I would just task him to scout even to the northern edge of the map to avoid unpleasant surprise - knowing that whole French force is moving south-west would allow for Russians to harass the northern flank and prepare defences.
Also, French side was lucky that Russian side forgot to split batteries (it's really effective way to increase "artillery coverage"). Sending 6 guns south could have stop Phil, or delay him enough.

Thanks everyone for participating!

I had to laugh when I heard Kevin say that too on Eheys replay. He knows me too well.

Thing is, when you have no clue where the enemy is, there really is no “flank” or “rear” to plan against. So if I did send someone off on a map-edge mission there was no assurance thEy would surprise or threaten anyone. And since our team was relatively less experienced in working together and had separate cav divisions I did not want to be too far apart.

So in sticking together I hoped the illusion of a potential “Pat map edge move” might buy some time. I just didn’t know what map edge might be in play lol.

I assumed - wrongly - that the Russians were going to all together and be near the southern objective at the outset. And Miko made it clear that this objective was the prize. The other objective was more of a trade with territory and casualties. I wanted the prize so I figured we would just stick together 5 divisions and roll in there ... south then west along the highway. Vince/me and Miko/Max working in tandem with Phil in reserve.

Seeing Russians on our distant right (West) flank in the first 10 mins (Digby/Ehey) was disconcerting at first, but I figured that meant they were at the northern objective which meant it was a footrace to the other one, and I already had a lead in that race. I stayed a bit at the right rear of our column to screen for 10 minutes. Then I got reports from Miko of Russian cav (Grog) to our South. THAT really threw me for a loop. It took 5 mins for my brain to process it.

So I told Miko, Max and Vince to go on the defensive. Halt around the river to receive the Russians. And told Phil to shift east farther away from that fight. I didn’t want the Russians to see him.

Grogs cav did a great job halting us. He was aggressive enough to make me think there was another division or two with him. But it became clear he was alone and screening.

At that point Rather than follow the road I decided to align 4 divisions and just go straight (SW) to the objective. Hypotenuse of the right triangle. Phil went from reserve division to flanking division. Stay wide and hit objective from south. As game progressed. I came to realize the majority of Russian strength and attention would run from the middle of our line to the right. Which meant eventually our left (Phil and Miko) would see success at the objective. Even as Miko wrote me he was getting slammed I knew it could not last because all I could see on my right side of the line were Russians. Lots of Russians.

The turning point in my view was when Ehey and Digby arrived on our right rear. At that moment I felt outflanked and thought the game would be lost. That all we could do was make a good fight to keep our pride.  If they pressed the attack then that would have sealed the game in a tie or russian victory. But when it was clear they were not pressing, I could redirect Vinces thrust more towards the center of the Russian line SSW instead of SW in direction, protect his right with my cav, then shift majority of my cav to the left. That essentially put 3 of our divisions aiming at the objective in the last 25 minutes.

It was a fun & challenging game. A near run thing to be sure. Our Russian opponents were very good. We won more out of chance and circumstance than anything else. The sides fought evenly.

Enjoyed my team: Phil you were Stonewall to my Lee in the game, meaning you knew my intent and simply informed me how you were carrying out. Vince you are a strong division commander, very responsive to changing conditions. You lost no time in shifting your attack and smashed the defenses, then went nicely on defense yourself to allow our left to press forward. Max you did brilliantly being the pointy end of the spear, despite your not feeling 100 confident as division commander. You got your forces where they needed to be. And Miko you are a lot better with cav than you give yourself credit for. Your assignment was challenging and you did great.

Overall standings: Pat 3 - Prince Duke Highness Kevin 2

"We won more out of chance and circumstance than anything else."

You didn't win. Miko declared it a draw.

When there is a huge melee at the objective in the last 60 seconds of a battle no side can claim a win, even if they have a unit right on the star, because any scrap like that is undecided. I think in future we always should use Kevin's criteria which is that you must have a BRIGADE at an objective (or 1000 men, or maybe we could say 3 inf battalions or 2 cav regts) and they must not be engaged in small arms range. Its the fact that shooting and melees were going on right at the obj that makes a win impossible to claim.

It was a very good scenario, and highly enjoyable. I think a lot more balanced than the last one. Not seeing a single enemy in an hour or more of game time (other than a patrol of Polish cavalry) is always interesting and tense. Given the briefing us Russians had, it seemed completely obvious that the French must go for the north objective because it was a shorter distance and they'd have more time to attack and secure it. The south objective was deemed more important to us as the Russians but we were not given any information that it would be more important to the French, whereas Miko did give the French team that info, which distorted the advantage a little.

Perhaps in future the scenario designer might sit out of the briefing of the side he'll play on and drop cold into the game and then have to be given everything he needs to know - other than his commanders name - by messengers.

Miko, I wasn't sure if the French had the option of going for the north objective and getting a minor win. It seems though that the French had to get only one of the objectives to win, while us Russians had to hold them both. That was why I held in the north for so long, because our victory conditions required us to watch that north objective. If there was any skewed advantage either way it was on that point only I think.

"French side was lucky that Russian side forgot to split batteries"

I didn't forget, I just chose not to do this. I don't like doing it. Perhaps we could edit all our Russian OOBs and make all their batteries 2x6 guns instead of 1x12 guns? That way a player can split them and use them separately and if he wants all 12 guns in one spot, its easy to do.

"We won more out of chance and circumstance than anything else."

You didn't win. Miko declared it a draw.

We are not competitive players community

Perhaps in future the scenario designer might sit out of the briefing of the side he'll play on and drop cold into the game and then have to be given everything he needs to know - other than his commanders name - by messengers.

With that players arrangement it wouldn't work as I had to lead cavalry and had to receive specific orders as where to go and where to scout from the start, otherwise it would be disadvantage for French - believe me I wasn't participating in any planning and reduced my role to explaining victory conditions. Luckily I bumped on Grog's Cav early and just reported that - also my scout send South East reported to me about 12 battalions and 9 Guns marching NE which I just passed to Pat and that was it about recon role. Most of the game I was complaining to Pat that Max is going too far South... as Pat explained that we should be arranged in south-west direction and march on the objective Vince Right, Max Left and cavalry on flanks - but objective was more like SWW... and also if infantry marched in 2 brigade frontage that would further expand the width of advance - so I commented on that to Pat... I thought that the plan was for Phil to get the road I ended up being at, and that rest of the army will be further north, attacking from North-East...

The south objective was deemed more important to us as the Russians but we were not given any information that it would be more important to the French, whereas Miko did give the French team that info, which distorted the advantage a little.

I did tell both sides that southern objective was the large one and more important... but I didn't tell Russian side that taking northern objective would be only minor victory for French and if they suffered more casualties than Russians it would result in a draw... There was no extra condition for the southern objective and it would have been major victory if taken - provided that the ownership is disputed with Russian on the back foot... and casualties really close, I think a draw is fair verdict... but I guess it will be Marginal Victory for Kevin (as per calculator) and Major Victory by Pat - because he stood on the objective

I didn't forget, I just chose not to do this. I don't like doing it. Perhaps we could edit all our Russian OOBs and make all their batteries 2x6 guns instead of 1x12 guns?

It would require a bit of work as you'd have to add another commander for same unit?... but if splitting batteries is not liked among players I'll just trim Russian batteries to 6 or 8 guns in my scenarios - easily done.

Ok well I will adjust the overall score to 2 for me, 2 for Kevin and a draw

And it was a good game to draw to

Ah MIKO … I understand NOW what you were trying to tell me via courier lol. I had a different understanding of your messages at the time.

I still will claim a victory in my mind because I sat on my horse at the objective with the fight swirling around me, got killed, came back and sat on objective with fight swirling around me. Operative phrase being "sat on the objective" and implicit phrase being "Russians not sitting at the objective" … ah the power of the mind

Enjoyed my team: Phil you were Stonewall to my Lee in the game, meaning you knew my intent and simply informed me how you were carrying out. Vince you are a strong division commander, very responsive to changing conditions. You lost no time in shifting your attack and smashed the defenses, then went nicely on defense yourself to allow our left to press forward. Max you did brilliantly being the pointy end of the spear, despite your not feeling 100 confident as division commander. You got your forces where they needed to be. And Miko you are a lot better with cav than you give yourself credit for. Your assignment was challenging and you did great.

Thanks Charmead, it was easy to fight under your command with precise and regular orders.
Regarding the northern threat I tried to send you a courrier just after our arrival in the woods because I spotted cavarly in the North that could be a problem for our flank, that's why I first camped one strong brigade at the extreme North of our line. But I'm not sure the courrier arrived, or maybe I did a wrong manipulation when sending. I realized that I sometimes send empty courriers because I don't press entry to add the free text into the right panel .

Before the massive attack on that hill I had the chance that Russian artillery didn't cause any damage before and were a bit surprised I think due to previous attacks in the south. Coordination was pretty good, and my regiments were incredibly reliable. At the end I only had one batallions routed when Digby launched its ultimate attack from the North. Don't know how this could happen since we were almost outnumbered by two to one.

Are Manassas maps free to use or require GB? Got another idea for scenario but can't see ideal map for it... this one is closest...